Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Saccharum officinarum
Habitat
Tropical regions
agricultural areas, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15
10-15
AHS Heat Zone
12-5
12 - 9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Red, Light Pink
White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Acicular
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
High
Watering Requirements
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune ocassionally, Remove dead branches, Remove Ferns
Fertilizers
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Equal amount of N,P,K, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
-
Beetles, Fusarium root rot, Head smut
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Butterflies
Butterflies, Rats, Squirrels
Allergy
Rash
Diabetes, Sleepiness
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Maintains teeth healthy, Making cosmetics
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Food for birds
Medicinal Uses
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Aging, Antidepressant, Aphrodisiac, Appetite enhancer, Diuretic, Fatigue, Muscle Pain, Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Leaf Stalks, Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Animal Feed, Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Food for animals, Sometimes used for making wine
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Edible, Feature Plant, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALPINIA zerumbet
SACCHARUM officinarum
Common Name
Shell Ginger
Sugarcane
In Hindi
Shell Ginger
गन्ना
In German
Shell Ginger
Saccharum
In French
Shell Ginger
Canne à sucre
In Spanish
Shell jengibre
Saccharum
In Greek
Shell Τζίντζερ
Saccharum
In Portuguese
Shell Ginger
Cana-de-açúcar
In Polish
Shell Imbir
Saccharum
In Latin
Crusta Ginger
Saccharum
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Cyperales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Poaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Alpinieae
Andropogoneae
Subfamily
Alpinioideae
Panicoideae
Importance of Shell Ginger and Sugarcane
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Shell Ginger and Sugarcane. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Shell Ginger and Sugarcane as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive whereas of Sugarcane is Aging, Antidepressant, Aphrodisiac, Appetite enhancer, Diuretic, Fatigue, Muscle Pain and Nutrients. Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Sugarcane has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Shell Ginger vs Sugarcane
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Shell Ginger vs Sugarcane and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Shell Ginger are Rash whereas of Sugarcane have Diabetes and Sleepiness respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Shell Ginger has no showy fruits and Sugarcane has showy fruits. Also Shell Ginger is not flowering and Sugarcane is not flowering . You can compare Shell Ginger and Sugarcane facts and facts of other plants too.